As the seller of a product or service, you tend to think that the consumer wants what you've got, and that's why they'll pay for it. Some theorists push back on this idea, proposing instead that,

People don't buy products, they buy solutions to their problems.

Consumers don't want to buy a hammer, they'd like to buy a nail in the wall. The hammer is merely the vehicle by which the customer arrives at their desired result. Your customers are "hiring" your product to achieve their goals$^1$. So instead of focusing on "how do we make the most amazing hammer ever" your job as an entrepreneur and innovator is "how do I sell a better route to having a nail in the wall?"

The job to be done (JTBD) theory is valuable, because it helps re-center your focus on your customers, instead of on your product. When your job is to produce and sell something, it's easy to lose sight of the real goal - to delight your customers$^2$. (We'll talk about that a lot when it comes to customer growth.)

For now, JTBD thinking is valuable while you're ideating and when you're fixing problems within your project.

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